Composite article

Abstract

A composite article comprises a base layer and an adhesive layer disposed thereon. The base layer comprises the reaction product of a polyamide and an anhydride-functional copolymer, and an ionomer. The adhesive layer comprises a cationic polymer and an adhesive.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A composite article comprising a base layer, an adhesive layer disposed thereon, and a natural rubber latex layer, said composite article comprising:
 A) said base layer comprising:
 i. a reaction product of:
 a. a polyamide; and 
 b. an anhydride-functional copolymer; and 
 
 ii. an ionomer; and 
 
 B) said adhesive layer comprising a cationic polymer and an adhesive; and 
 C) said natural rubber latex layer disposed on said adhesive layer, 
 wherein said adhesive layer and said natural rubber latex layer are present in said composite article in a thickness ratio of from about 4:1 to about 20:1. 
 
     
     
       2. A composite article as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said polyamide is selected from the group of polyamide 6, polyamide 66, polyamide 6/66, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       3. A composite article as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said anhydride-functional copolymer comprises an a-olefin graft copolymer comprising the reaction product of ethylene and 1-octene, grafted with units derived from maleic anhydride. 
     
     
       4. A composite article as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said ionomer is an at least partially neutralized salt of a copolymer derived from ethylene and an a, (3-unsaturated monocarboxylic acid. 
     
     
       5. A composite article as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said base layer has a specific gravity of from 0.8 to 1.15 g/cm3. 
     
     
       6. A composite article as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said cationic polymer is selected from the group of a polyethyleneimine, a polyvinylamine, a polyvinylformamide, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       7. A composite article as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said cationic polymer is a polyethyleneimine. 
     
     
       8. A composite article as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said cationic polymer has a weight average molecular weight (Mw) of from about 500 to about 3,500,000. 
     
     
       9. A composite article as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said adhesive comprises a resorcinol-formaldehyde-latex (RFL) adhesive. 
     
     
       10. A composite article as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said adhesive layer is present in an amount of from about 0.1 to about 5 parts by weight and said base layer is present in an amount of from about 95 to about 99.9 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of said composite article. 
     
     
       11. A method of forming a composite article according to  claim 1 , said method comprising the steps of
 mixing the polyamide composition comprising the polyamide, the anhydride-functional copolymer, and the ionomer to form the base layer comprising the reaction product of the polyamide and the anhydride-functional copolymer and the ionomer; and 
 applying the cationic polymer and the adhesive to the base layer to form the adhesive layer thereon. 
 
     
     
       12. A method as set forth in  claim 11  further comprising the step of applying the natural rubber latex to the adhesive layer to form the natural rubber latex layer thereon. 
     
     
       13. A method as set forth in  claim 11  wherein the polyamide is present in the polyamide composition in an amount of from about 30 to about 75 parts by weight, the anhydride-functional copolymer is present in the polyamide composition in an amount of from about 5 to about 55 parts by weight, and the ionomer is present in the polyamide composition in an amount of from about 5 to about 55 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of said polyamide composition. 
     
     
       14. A method as set forth in  claim 11  wherein the cationic polymer is selected from the group of a polyethyleneimine, a polyvinylamine, a polyvinylformamide, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       15. A method as set forth in  claim 11  wherein the adhesive comprises a resorcinol-formaldehyde-latex (RFL) adhesive. 
     
     
       16. A method as set forth in  claim 11  wherein the cationic polymer is a polyethyleneimine and/or the resorcinol-formaldehyde-latex (RFL) comprises a resorcinol-formaldehyde resin, a styrene-butadiene rubber, and a vinylpyridine-styrene-butadiene rubber. 
     
     
       17. A method as set forth in  claim 11  wherein the step of applying the cationic polymer and the adhesive to the base layer to form the adhesive layer is further defined as applying an aqueous dispersion of the cationic polymer on a surface of the base layer and subsequently applying the adhesive to the surface having the cationic polymer thereon to form the adhesive layer. 
     
     
       18. A method as set forth in  claim 11  further comprising the step of corona treating the base layer. 
     
     
       19. A method as set forth in  claim 11  wherein the base layer is formed via a cast film extrusion process or a blown film extrusion process.